Catch-22. Heller.

Catch-22
Joseph Heller
New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1955/1961.

Set on the imaginary island of Pianosa during World War II, the novel centers on the anti-hero Captain Yossarian and his attempts to survive the fanatical lunacy of his bomber squadron's commanders long enough to get home. With the death toll rising, the quota of bombing missions required for home-leave is repeatedly increased. By pleading insanity, Yossarian hopes to find a way out until the doctor quotes the notorious Catch-22: A man would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't but if he was sane, he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have top; but if he didn't, he was sane and had to. The phrase became a part of the American lexicon, indicating any dilemma, especially one that seems diabolically constructed.

A sampling of quotes:
"Yossarian was in the hospital with a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice.... Doctors were puzzled by the fact that it wasn't quite jaundice. If it became jaundice they could treat it." p. 7.

"To break the monotony he invented games: Death to all modifiers, he declared one day, and out of every letter that passed through his hands went every adverb and every adjective.... Next day he made war on articles." p, 8.

"...Major Major, the long and bony squadron commander...who...went jumping out the window of his office each time Yossarian bullied his way past Sergeant Towser to speak to him...." p. 22.

"Doc Daneeka had been told that people who enjoyed climbing into an airplane were really giving vent to a subconscious desire to climb back into the womb." p. 34.

"Maybe a long life does have to be filled with many unpleasant conditions if it's to seem long; but in that even, who wants one?" p. 40.

"Colonel Cathcart had courage and never hesitated to volunteer his men for any target available." p. 57.

"McWatt was the craziest combat man of them all probably because he was perfectly sane and still did not mind the war." p. 61.

"That men would die was a matter of necessity; which men would die though, was a matter of circumstance...." p. 69.

"He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it." p. 70.

"Lieutenant Scheisekopf was an ROTC graduate who was rather glad that war had broken out, since it gave him an opportunity to wear an officer's uniform everyday and say, 'Men' in a clipped military voice to the bunches of kids who fell into his clutches every eight weeks on their way to the butcher's block." p. 71.